Vita Ante Mortem
by YourStupidGrin
Summary: In the future, Tsuna is accused of a crime he didn't commit. Now he is thrown into Vendicare, the holding cell of the Mafia's most serious criminals. Where someone has transformed this prison into their own personal hunting ground.
1. Chapter 1

Time simply didn't exist anymore.

Days, weeks, years, all of them blended together into an annoying buzzing noise that lingered in the back of his mind. There was no reason to remember dates like that, not anymore. Just like the reason he forgot how he got here, how he got involved. All of it was a far off memory, like a dream you force yourself to remember yet only succeed in the remembrance of a few pieces. Yet all of them still did not feel like memories, they were only blurbs of someone else's life to him.

Frequently, he would have the views of a room, with a luxurious carpet and a plush bed that made his muscles scream in the agony for rest. He couldn't comply of course, for it was nothing more than a piece of a life that, as far as the present goes, did not exist. It was a shard of a simple imagination, for the room was always the same exquisite and royal design that children would dream of hearing fairytales. Still, his body felt drawn to it, and every time that flash of vision overcame his mind, he would rest his head on the slick, stony walls and let the feeling of comfort fill his body. A strange déjà vu feeling that toyed with the edge of his mind, fleeting just out of reach when his mind would grab a few straws. And soon drop them again.

Now, for the first time in his life, he believed his mind was gone. For how could he remember things that he never seen, had never been? The smooth, pearl satin sheets of the bed were just wisps of a picture he had seen earlier in his life, as well as the rich red carpet that he could still remember the soft feeling under his feet. No. They were just thoughts, not memories. Long ago, he convinced himself that he had no memories, there was nothing before his life until up to the point that he arrived. As soon as he came to consciousness in the inky blackness he prepared himself to die. If he remembered everything in his life before now, it would just make the whole rite more painful than the reality he had faced. Carefully, he shifted his position against the stone wall to sit up more properly, knowing that if he made more, or any, noise that wasn't necessary that would find him.

Them.

Clenching his fists against the soiled ground, he tried to fight the wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm his body. The first time he had ever seen them was when he was making his way through this maze like place, surrounded in darkness that seemed no sound existed. Panicked, he had quickly made his way through the blackness, scared that it would crush him whole. He had been bleeding, having running blind into the sides of tunnels and tripping over rough surfaces. Yet even the pain had not been enough to slow his speed, for the only thought was to break free and run out into the surface world that seemed to not exist any longer. He had tripped over a rocky piece of ground, crashing and skidding to a halt with rocks in his new open and reopened cut. Not having the strength, he laid there, praying for the first time since he was a tiny boy for the pain to go away, for him to wake up from this terrible nightmare with the darkness that threatened to engulf him whole.

No answer to his prayers had come, only the quiet skitter of rats as they came up to the warmth of his body, hoping for a fresh meal. The reds of their eyes glinting at him through the darkness, twinkling as if they were mocking his situation. Each time one had bit him, or nosed a bit too hard, he would shove them away with his foot or arm. Anything else he hadn't the strength for. After a lengthy period of silence, his thoughts began to linger whether he was going deaf, for the patter of rats had disappeared instantly, like they all simultaneously decided they found something more interesting to study. Instead of taking thought to it, he had welcoming the moments of peace, his body relishing as its abuse was ceased. Until the hairs on the back of his neck rose, and an uneasy feeling balled in his stomach. Cautiously, he peered into the thick blackness trying to identify what had set his body off, and his ears strained to see if it was a noise instead. Holding his breath, he tried to listen harder knowing his sense of hearing would be stronger than sight, and heard a faint noise.

His heart had jumped into his throat, and he forced it down. Though it was barely there, he had heard it. The faint sound of feet scuffling on the ground, a sound one would hear anywhere on the surface. Either from the people passing on the street or from themselves, the noise was heard everywhere. Soon, the pounding of the steps was echoing off the walls of the tunnels as the source got closer to his spot sprawled out on the floor. Hope couldn't even flicker in his heart, nor the fleeting thought that it was someone to rescue him. Throughout his years on the battlefield, he knew the purpose behind that quick motion.

Whoever it was, was running from something.

Careful not to make his presence known, he slowly backed up to the wall to the right of him, huddling down near the base of it, pressing his whole body as much as possible to the ground. The sick taste of bile rose in throat as the sound got closer, knowing that he should be extremely cautious of whatever was chasing things through the darkness. Still scanning the darkness, something caught his eye, something so small that if it hadn't moved he would have missed it entirely.

A red dot, traveling up along the floor of the cave quickly, bouncing back and forth.

His first thought was that it was a rat, running away from the predator in the darkness instead of slipping into a crack to safety. Yet, as he studied it further, the realization of what it was chilled his body to the bone, making him rigid. It was a night scope, the ones hunters used on their guns for nightly hunts, he knew because he himself had used them frequently. Whoever was using it was running quickly, not barging into the walls of the tunnels like the person they were pursuing, and gaining speed fast. As the red dot bounced erratically around in the darkness, it would disappear momentarily, most likely because they were on the target they wanted. The target was so close he could hear their panting, their quiet whimpers and sobs, as if they knew what fate was about to befall them. He could feel their fear, feeling it seep deep into his skin from the frightened aura.

Then a single shot was fired, spot on. The noise echoed around the walls of the enclosed space, shattering the deafening silence that filled this place to the brink. Time seemed to stand still as if even the caves were in shock of the piercing noise that rattled its stony walls. His heart was frozen, and his lungs refused to pump their cycle due to the strain on his body. Whoever had fired was merely feet away from him, standing over their kill and studying it, even though the shot was clearly fatal. Though his lungs were now burning due to lack of oxygen, he refused to let out the thin breath he inhaled in surprise when the bullet was forced out of the barrel.

Cold fear began to wash over him, gluing his body stiff, as if the simplest and tiniest movement could alert the predator of his presence and expose him to the lethal weapon carried on his person. So many questions had began to form in his mind as the invisible person delivered a swift kick to corpse, its wounded body belching blood, and began their trek back into the tunnels, disappearing once again the black silence.

Who was that?

Why were they here?

What was their purpose for murdering that person?

As those questions swirled around in his mind, fogging up his senses as they jumbled about, he stayed completely still so not one movement would betray his hiding area. That was the first time the concept of time died for him, as he lay sprawled rigidly on the grubby ground and not as much as twitching until the steady population of rats began to creep out of the crevices in the walls to poke curiously at the dead body feet away. Finally his burning lungs received the oxygen they so badly desired, and he stretched his legs out cautiously before he moved to sit back up against the wall. To contemplate what he just heard.

To this day now, that one was very far away. Even now he wondered if the whole thing wasn't just a dream, or that his mind was truly losing its hold on him. For he was not even sure was he heard actually happened, or was just a figment of his imagination had created to keep him company, to show that there were more people trapped down here than just him. But every now and then, he would come across them. Carting off the bodies of their kill throughout the tunnels, bringing them back up to the surface for God knows what. That was his educated guess at least, for what else would they do with them? A few times, he tried to follow them up their ways to the surface, but each attempt had been so risky he was forced to turn back.

They had equipment, special equipment that let them see in the dark, throughout the darkness of the tunnels. There was no clear purpose to why they were patrolling these tunnels, but he believed it was because of them that he was down here. Though he couldn't fathom why. Clenching angrily at his sides, he forced his fists to relax. Just that one little movement strained his body, as if he were performing a difficult task. He was exhausted, having to force himself to only sleep in tiny periods, always having to be alert to the noises in the tunnels.

This was a tactic they all used in the tunnels, all of the people who were trapped and hunted by them for one reason or another. Stay quiet, don't speak to one another, and don't bring any attention to yourself. He had figured this out vey quickly and stuck to following the unspoken code, because if you followed it you wouldn't be caught. Yet, sometimes the people down here did speak to one another, whether it to beg for food, or just to share news of in which area the hunters were now prowling in. Everyone of them would have the same raspy voice, the one that spoke only in a quiet whisper, so they wouldn't hear them speak.

But it had been quite some time since he had come across someone else wandering aimlessly through the tunnels, rummaging through the filth and garbage to find necessities and such. It could be because he wandered further down into the tunnels, trying to make his way to the very bottom. Only when he reached there, would his subconscious admit that there was a form of reality keeping him bonded here. That goal set ablaze a fire of determination through him, and drove him forward to survive. For while others down here desired to make their way up so they maybe will one day find the surface, he chose to go down. The hunters always came from the top, because it was a well known fact that everyone was trying to claw up to the surface. But at the bottom he could live out the remainder of his life quietly and without so much terror. No more hairs standing up on the back of his neck, or fear that someone was stalking him in the absolute darkness.

Here, he could die as peacefully as he was allowed. His body would be devoured by rats and not carted away like game back up to the surface where God knows what happens to the corpses. It was a morbid preparation, but he was willing to do it. He wasn't giving up, only doing this act because he knew that soon famine and dehydration would take his life, if not pestilence from the thick gaseous fumes billowing through the tunnels.

So this is where he sat, back against the wall and hands in his lap. In his time down here, he prayed to the Lord for each one of his sins, and in the far corner of his mind he believed the Lord himself spoke that he forgave him. Every sin from his birth to his shortly coming death was now forgiven, and he could depart into the gates of heaven with a pure soul.

All he had to do now was wait.

Now no strength was pumping through his veins, and utter exhaustion was placed upon his body like a lead blanket. Was this it, the time he had been waiting for? All those horrible moments trapped in the tunnels, the moments of painful hunger, desperation of freeing himself from the terrifying darkness the threatened to engulf him, was coming to an end.

Forcing his eyes open, he peered into the same bleak darkness he had grown so accustomed too. Yet this time there was a small white light, growing steadily brighter as it came towards the spot where he sat.

Was this the white light guiding him to death?

He would welcome it with open arms. He would thank the angels that he would meet through the white tunnel's walls, let them lead him through to the gates of Heaven, where he would have eternal rest. Most importantly, he would be away from this place, away from all the pain and fear that had captured him in an iron grip, refusing to let go, it would release.

Feeling the blanket lift off him, he raised his arms in praise of the light, which was now shinning on his face with such a purity he could never have imagined. His eyes were completely blinded by the ultimate power of the beam, and he greeted it with full on joy. Now, he would be released from this place, returning to a land where he had only visited before his birth.

He was going home.

Blinded by the extreme relief and joy as well as the intense beam of light, he failed to notice the way it bobbed along the shadows of the tunnel. It was only when the white light completely bathed him that he realized something was wrong, and he carefully dropped his arms back to his sides. There was no pure tunnel of radiating peace, only the now harsh glare of white beam that now began to scare him. It exposed him in the darkness, exposing him to all the hidden monsters that lay hidden in the shadows, ready to pounce. All he wished was that it would leave him, retreat back into the tunnels and bring back the thick darkness that had wrapped around him tightly all those years. Then he wouldn't be put on display as an easy target for them.

The beam then began to lower slowly, descending towards the ground for long painful moments before it finally stopped. He stared at it for a few minutes, at that mystical sphere of light that would whisk away all his problems. Confused, he gazed up to the roof of the tunnel, where his entire seated area was now illuminated in the pure light. Among the stony walls and pipes that littered the ceilings, he finally saw the place he had been released into all those years ago for the first time. Shuddering at the creepy demeanour, he glanced around to see where he had lived for all this time.

As soon as he moved the beam jerked slightly, and then swayed. Cautious about the mysterious beam, he looked away from it, just barely noticing the shadowy figure behind it. When his eyes moved back to it, to view it more carefully, all he saw was the intense white beam. But he felt the fear returning slowly, crawling up from his toes and making its way slowly up his legs, despite the light. Then suddenly the light disappeared, and his world was once again plunged into darkness.

Just like the first time he was cast away into the tunnels, the darkness itself overwhelmed him, flowing into his lungs and choking them with such a fear he didn't know existed. He gasped for breath, trying to lift himself off the wall and away from them, refusing to end up like the other bodies on the carts or in the thick black bags. His death would be natural, not by the hands of men who wished to play God.

His weak muscles refused him to stand, so he crawled along the ground quickly, ignoring the sharp stones or rat droppings that he moved upon. The only thing on his mind was escaping. Escaping from them, the one behind him. Just like the darkness he so desperately tried to escape uncountable times, and always failed. As he managed to get a few feet distance between them, he was suddenly yanked back and dropped back to the ground once again.

Panicked, he used this chance to flee again. Blood was now furiously pumping through his veins, and his heart was racing to keep up with its demand. But as he got the same distance between them he was pulled back again. This seemed to go for an eternity, him frantically trying to escape, only to be positioned back at the start of his suffering. It was like a cat playing with a mouse, the cat tiring out its prey before slaughtering it mercilessly.

Now it seemed like his heart was going to explode from his chest under the stressful pressure of the situation. Those moments of freedom not long ago seemed to have never existed, only the terror filled anticipation between him and then. Wondering when he was about to be slaughtered. To him, that time seemed like it would never come, that life would only be this repeated cycle of chase. Thoughts of angels taking him to heaven, away from his suffering, seemed like those many memories that to him never existed at all. But he couldn't forget, and that made him weep in pure despair.

Forever he would be bound to this never ceasing torture, he would never escape it. Then there was laughter. A sound that froze him in his tracks, for it was something not even his memories remembered how to work. It was so odd, and as he paused to listen he felt that eerie chill settle in his bones once again. This sound, the harsh, cruel laughter of his predator would be his last memory before the bullet was blasted at point blank range.

There was no time to react, and even if there was, he didn't want to. For now as he fell to the ground, his thoughts were only on how he was finally free from the grasps of darkness that had control over his soul for such a long time. As his life pooled out around him, he relished in the moist warmth that melted all the icy fear from his body and soul.

As his last moments on Earth came to a close, his vision began to brighten significantly. But his visions weren't of the dank, rugged tunnels that he had died in, but of a white wall. Blinking, he reached up wiped the soot and grim away from his eyes and face to see clearly, just barely noting that all his exhaustion was gone. As was the dirt and filth that had coated itself on his body over the years. Now his tattered clothes were gone and replaced with soft white robes, which he stroked in fascination. The blurred edges of his vision began to clear, and he finally saw where he was with startling realization.

He was stood upon a luxurious carpet, soft and rich to the touch of his feet. The white walls were clear from any markings and decorated with accents. In the middle of the room though, was a large white bed with satin sheets and plush pillows. Just gazing at the bed made his body feel all the exhausted he had felt in the black tunnels and he instantly made his way towards it. Reaching it, he peeled back the covers and slipped underneath, letting the softness seep into his tired, old body. As sleep claimed his mind, he came to the conclusion that he was finally free from the dark holes of hell. But one thought chilled him to the soul before sinking into the deep slumber.

He had to die to escape.


	2. Chapter 2

I just want to say thank you for all the reviews I got on the previous chapter! But I believe there is a bit of confusion about what's going on...

That wasn't Tsuna in the first chapter, but a completely different person.

Sorry, for the confusion. That was a bit of an epilouge if you will.

So please enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p>There was no way to escape the rolling noise of the city.<p>

Large shopping crowds emitted the blur of aimless chatter as the people waited for the crosswalk signal, discussing the great items they got for an incredible value or what to buy for their family members. Every store was broadcasting their Christmas specials, claiming to have the lowest prices or the most up to date gadgets and goods. It seemed like almost every person in Namimori was out this late afternoon to beat the Christmas buyers' rush that they inevitably were caught up in. A person could not even cease movement in the midst of the shoppers without being swept away by the sea of people.

Alas though, this was the city life they all had to be accustomed to.

Namimori, as many small towns had faced before, had merged with two nearby cities on either side that had reached an up scaling population and economic boom, and decided to expand their city limits. Unfortunately, sleepy Namimori was caught in the crossfire and was ultimately swallowed by flashing neon signs and high rise buildings. As the merging began, so did the move of the original city folk who snatched up the vacant land lots surrounding the town to construct their own private dream homes. These people desired the calming affects of a small town and rural area, along with millions of others.

Needless to say, there was no peaceful life for anyone soon.

The whole town had been transformed with towering office buildings, large shopping centers, and a new underground train system that ran under throughout the whole city limits. One could never guess that this was once a town encircled by farm land and forest. Now the city had become too over crowded, and people were currently in a crisis in where to house many new people that were promised land and housing rights in already possessed lots.

Over population was the factor that was becoming very problematic for many of the original residents of Namimori, because it, along with the bright city lights and heavy number of inhabitants, was almost completely foreign. Along with the city's influence came all of the negative aspects of it as well, such as graffiti and other accounts petty crime, and a massive increase in the homeless that Namimori never seemed to have.

Caught in the rolling waves of reminiscences, Tsunayoshi Sawada was brought back down to reality as people pointedly discussed how difficult he was making everyone's evening shopping trip. For a few moments he was confused because he couldn't understand what he was doing that was such a serious concern to these people. Until he realized he was standing directly in the center of the crowded walkway, where people were shuffling around him and shooting glares as they made their way by.

Slightly flustered, he held onto the shopping bags gathered in his arms and continued onward so the balance of the sidewalk's motion remained intact. Although there was not any room for any free space, he held onto the bags tightly as if protecting them from unseen snatching hands.

That was another brilliant aspect the city influence had brought upon them, the dramatic increase of reported robberies.

Although they were mostly only the small crimes of pick pocketing and purse snatching, bigger crimes of money scams and house intrusions were being reported in larger numbers each day.

And there was no chance any petty thief was getting their hands and Tsuna's Christmas presents, so he took extra precautions to keep away from grabbing hands.

Mainly because the diamond necklace he had purchased for Haru was worth more than his monthly –and yearly- expenses as an aspiring substitute teacher provided him.

Despite him being the age of nineteen, Mafia laws prohibited him from becoming the legal boss, and getting some of the Vongola family's wealthy inheritance funds, until he reached the age of twenty one.

In all his years that was the best news he had got regarding him becoming the boss of the most powerful Mafia family in Italy.

All of those years did not waver his desire to become anything but the head of the family. There was nothing more he would rather like then for this whole big issue to just disappear from the world forever. It seemed like anything he told to anyone about not wanting the position, to give it to someone else, was a completely wasted effort on his behalf.

In a few years though, he could pay off any debts he had and any his mother had. Nana Sawada had done so much for him in the past that he felt indebted to repay her for her kindness, even though she was his own mother, it just felt right.

Sighing in frustration, he hurriedly made his way down the street and promptly crossed it at the crosswalk; from there he managed to scurry around some shady looking teenagers and down the stairs leading to the subway station.

As soon as he took one step down those concrete stairs he was overwhelmed with the putrid smell of melting snow, perspiration and the subway train's fumes.

If he had thought the streets above him were overcrowded, they now looked like a pleasant stroll down a country road compared to the damming population of the subway platform. All around him people were curling within themselves to squeeze around the rolling tides of people who came and disappeared with the subway cars, only to be greeted with a congested subway car as their destination.

The only good thing about the subway cars were that they got people to their destination quickly and efficiently, and the platforms were hastily cleared as people boarded the cars or left the tunnels all together to continue on with their daily activities.

That was one thing that always seemed to fascinate Tsuna about city life, how everything seemed to be functioning almost on a flawless cycle rotated by unseen hands; the traffic and flow of people, destination vehicles and the likes.

But it seemed that at this time his nickname 'No-Good Tsuna' decided to come into play, and when he finally descended down to the bottom of the platform, the people as well as the cars promptly left him behind.

Looking around, clearly abashed, he noticed he was the only one standing on the newly abandoned platform. Two other people were scattered around, but other than that, the place was deserted completely. The silence of the underground had an almost deafening affect, despite the faint sound of the fluttering of paper and an untraceable tapping noise.

Tsuna glanced around uncertainly.

Almost on the other end of the terminal was a man whose face and attention seemed to be completely absorbed in the newspaper he was reading. He gave Tsuna an odd feeling, like an almost apprehensive anxiety. Although, he was blaming it on how the man had dressed, the long tan trench coat and having his face obscurely hidden by a long hat did not help to tone down his air of mysterious. But as he shifted his paper, Tsuna caught sight of thick lens glasses and a flash of white hair.

Ignoring his embarrassment at thinking the man might be a potential predator or the member of a rival mafia family, he let out a sigh of relief. Chancing another look, he now came to the conclusion that the man was a completely harmless elderly man who was just humming contently to himself as he waited patiently for the next car.

Now Tsuna felt like a bit of an idiot, but it couldn't be helped. By now it was most likely the evening, judging from the brightness of the fluorescent lights above him, and every human mind seemed to gain a sense of morbid imagination as the sun disappeared.

Now where was that clicking noise..?

Scanning the area carefully, he found a teenage girl about ten feet to his right, and the source of that clicking noise. Just like the elderly man with his paper, the young girl was engrossed in her cell phone as she texted fifty per minute. As if she sensed his stare, she glanced up at him then looked nervously down quickly as their eyes met.

Feeling a bit sheepish, he tried to occupy himself by studying the subway tracks. The last thing he needed was false allegations against him if the girl thought he was doing anything more than just seeing who was beside him.

Though he noticed with amusement that she was the kind of girl he would've bent over backwards for. Her face was nice and clear, with her almond eyes outlined with an outlandish colored liner. A curtain of long black hair accentuated her pop princess, beauty queen appearance.

Tapping his fingers against the crisp shopping bag, he vaguely found himself wondering how old she was. Just out of curiosity. It seemed that every day girls were trying to make themselves appear older than they actually were, although he was sure it was just a guy thing, he didn't understand why anyone would want to look a few years their senior when they would get there eventually.

That's why he was rather fond of the girls of his generation, they were all natural and fresh faced, not powdered with piercings everywhere.

Ick.

Frowning slightly, he looked expectantly at the large clock imbedded into the wall opposite of him, by now a car should've come and let them board. Yet it seemed that no metal transportation car was present anyway.

What a joke.

Figures that it would be late tonight of all nights. Tonight Haru was inviting him over to dinner, and he knew she would cook one of her four star meals as always. Just the thought of the delicious food made his stomach growl for the taste, and he placed his hand on it to settle it.

There was no point in wishing for food when there would be none for at least an hour, he would just be lifting his excitement that would be stretched so long that it would grow bothersome.

Sighing softly, he walked a few paces towards the stairs that led up to the outside world, wanting to feel cold air on his face instead of the mucky humidity of the platform terminal. When he was at the bottom, he looked up and noticed with a bit of joy that it was snowing. Small fluffy flakes were floating down from the sky and coating the ground with white, only to melt a few seconds later.

Out of all the seasons, Tsuna did not enjoy winter. The season was too cold for his liking, and he was scared for life by the bullies throwing snowballs at him. Fresh snow meant bloody noses and black eyes for him, not snow angels and men like the rest of the children. Instead of being able to enjoy the freshly fallen snow, he was forever haunted by the memories of ice hidden in the spheres hurled in his direction.

But he did have to admit that it was one of the most beautiful seasons when at its peak.

Now having no pleasure in watching the snow, and having a slightly numb face from the wind, he retreated back into the tunnels to shelter. Away from the wind, and the memories.

As he returned though, he noticed something quite peculiar. There was no one besides himself on the platform. At first his body filled with panicked frustration that he missed the car, only to think logically that he would've heard of its arrival even from where he was standing.

Cautiously, he ventured further onto the platform. How could the girl have disappeared when there was no other exit than the one he was standing in?

He was absolutely sure that no one had walked past him while he was absorbed in his memories and musings.

So he began to scan the floor for evidence, that was a valuable rule Reborn had taught him when investigating something, for the unsub could have dropped something that would indicate their position. Taking this lesson to heart, he raked his eyes across the floor carefully; he spotted something thrown away to the side of the wall. Hurriedly, he rushed over and knelt down to inspect it more closely.

It was a cellphone.

The exact same one the girl had been using.

Straightening up quickly, he spun around to ask that elderly gentleman if he had seen which way she had gone. If he was quick enough he could probably catch up with her, since he knew she would be devastated to discover her phone had been lost when she arrived home. Every day deserved one good deed after all.

Yet as he looked around in complete confusion, he noticed the man in the tan trench coat and long hat was nowhere to be seen.

A horrible chill passed through him as his fingers brushed against the little pink charm of a bell that was attached to the top of the phone. It was logical sense that she wouldn't have dropped it if she had walked away, it was a common fact that teenage girls never parted from their phones.

_There was no way that man could've been a predator._

The coldness that had taken hold of him exploded into full blown panic. Dropping the cellphone and his shopping bags he began bolting around the platform, trying to find evidence where the pair had gone.

How could he have not known?

Shivering from his numb tension, he jumped across the tracks to the other side of the platform, and down the stairs that led to a lower platform for maintenance works. If they had gone anywhere secluded, that would be the place.

Halting at the top of the stairs, he tried to catch his breath, trying to listen if there was a sign from them down there. Should he call the police? The man might have a weapon, which he most likely used to lure the girl away so easily. If he called, he would have back up, and the law would know how to handle the situation more professionally than he did. Yet every second that was being wasted on deciding, that girl was most likely getting desecrated by unspeakable acts.

Abandoning any sense of caution and moral, he flew down the stairs and rounded the corner of the wall to the next section of the platform. Placing his hand against the wall, he edged his face around carefully to see if there was anyone there. Then jerked his hand back when he realized it was rested against a thick splatter of blood.

Knowing that there was now no time to waste, he bolted around the corner and felt the same icy, numb entrails crawl up his legs and spine. The force of the shock that hit him could be compared to nothing else though.

Curled in a heap on the floor was the girl, her spunky street clothes soaked and splattered with the same blood that was flooding onto the floor. That man was hovering above her, his hands fisted tightly into her silky black hair as he repeatedly bashed her face into the concrete beneath them. A twisted smile plastered onto his face.

Not knowing what possessed him, Tsuna ran towards the man screaming: "Get off of her!"

The elderly man spun around to face him, surprise evident on his face. As soon as Tsuna had screamed however, he jumped off the girl's battered body and stood sharply to face as he charged towards him as he reached into his coat pocket.

When Tsuna was in range, he saw a flash of silver and then a searing pain burst along his cheek and eye as the man slashed a small blade across his face, then retreated hastily onto the train tracks and down the subway tunnel.

Falling more in shock than pain, Tsuna reached up and put pressure on the now bleeding wound. The shock of the attack dulled the pain more than he expected, but he could still feel the blood flowing down his face and onto his shirt, as he mouth filled with the bitter coppery taste.

Feeling his injured eye begin to swell up, he closed it to make the act easier, but felt his breath get knocked out of him once again as he caught sight of the girl's form again. Pushing his own pain aside, he crawled over to her on his hands and knees, suppressing shivers of disgust as his fingers glided through the rapidly expanding pool of blood.

As carefully as he could, he took hold of her shoulder and waist where it was the less scarred and turned her over slowly to survey the damage where it was at its worst. Despite his efforts, he gave a startled gasp of surprise as he fully saw her beaten and broken in face.

Turned at an unnatural angle, her nose was a pale purple and the same color as her eyelids and lips. The right side of her skull was almost sunken in, and he could see bits of flesh where her hair had been harshly pulled out.

If he had never left, this wouldn't have happened.

Trying to get over the new wave of shock that forced him over, he ripped a piece of her already shredded sweater off and pressed it to her neck, where thousands of deep slashes were shattered like brail.

He vaguely noticed that his own hands were shaking, either from the trauma of the event or his own blood lost and exhaustion of the day. But one thing was for certain, he needed to keep this girl alive. Part of him believed it was his fault that he had left her unwatched, such a young thing was too vulnerable in this world to be out on its own, without any way to defend itself.

Suddenly, he saw her eyes flutter underneath their blueing lids, which signalled the life still faintly pumping through her veins. That made Tsuna overjoyed inside; for he was sure the girl had been surely dead. But that changed when her eyes opened slowly, then snapped open.

And she screamed.

That sound was so full of terror that it made Tsuna jerk back, but he lurched forward to keep the pressure applied to her neck as she thrashed around. He looked at her almost desperately as she continued to shriek and jerk around, for she was making the bleeding worse.

"Please! Calm down! You're making the blee-"

Ignoring him, the girl began to fight against his hold. Letting his guard down, he gave a sharp hiss of pain as her nails raked across his face, opening his knife wound even more.

"Listen to me! If you keep moving-"

"Let go of me!"

"Your wounds-"

Suddenly he was grabbed around the waist and hauled backwards away from the girl. He flew five feet before hitting the pavement, hearing the sickening crack as his head bounced off the hard surface. Then he heard the familiar click of a gun being loaded, and then jabbed painfully into the back of his head.

"Stay the fuck down, you scumbag."

The voice left no room for argument, and in his dazed state he gladly complied. It felt like the earth was spinning in a lazy, heavy motion, and he had difficulty lifting it up under the pressure of the bruise on his skull and the pistol pushing down on the back of his head.

Now he was aware that there was more than one person on the small platform landing, as the air was filled with the mumbling and whirs of police walkie-talkies. From his position on the ground, he saw a pair of medics clothed in white rush down the stairs carrying a stretcher and then promptly went over to lift the injured girl onto it.

Tsuna laid there trembling, biting back noises of pain as the man above him pushed his face further into the pavement. His wound had opened even deeper, and was creating a small pond of blood where his face left. Coughing, he tried to angle his head so he could get some much craved air, but the man shoved him further into the pool. His lungs where now burning, and each time some managed to slither up his nose or down his throat he ended up choking at the bitter, stinging sensation.

Now it felt like his lungs were about to burst, and he thrashed against the lawman's hold. The bitter coppery taste of blood reached his gag reflex and his stomach flipped painfully. He knew now that if he didn't get oxygen soon he would most likely vomit.

But before that could happen, he was jerked and lifted up wards to his knees. Breathing in deeply, he quickly closed his eyes at the sharp glare of the fluorescent lights. As he opened his eyes, he caught sight of the girl, strapped onto the stretcher with an oxygen mask attached to her face and bandages covering almost her entire face.

Feeling that cold chill grab hold of him again, he averted his eyes from the morbidly sad sight to the ground. With a lurch of his stomach, he realized that was no better. A moderate sized pool had blossomed where his head had laid, and that made Tsuna wonder how long he had actually laid there.

Swallowing down his disgust, he gazed back at the stairs where moments ago the battered girl had left this grisly event to the hospital.

"Is she going to be alright?"

His voice had been so soft spoken that he was surprised that he himself had even heard it, let alone the law man standing above him. As if in an answer, the man's face twisted into a sweet, cruel smile.

"She'll be a lot better that what you had done to her."

_You._

His eyes wide, he looked up at the man, utterly startled.

"I didn't do anything!"

Smirking, the man hoisted him to his feet and jerked his arms painfully behind his back, where he then clamped handcuffs onto them. "I guess in your twisted mind, you didn't. You sick fuck."

A terrible panic set over him, even greater than discovering the disappearance of that girl. Yet this man, he believed that he had done those unspeakable acts to that young girl.

"You need to listen to me," Tsuna spoke desperately, pleadingly. "I didn't do this! There was a man, he went off into the tunnels-"

Clearly irritated, the law officer twisted his now bounded hands at a painful angle, making Tsuna cry out in pain.

"There always is a man, ain't there?" He spoke mockingly, grabbing hold of his arms and pushing him out towards the stairs.

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you do say could and will be used against you in court.."


End file.
